Chapter 32: Haruno is Furious, and the Consequences Will Be Dire

Roland was genuinely afraid Haruno might try to put him on a leash. If it were just a playful marital game in bed, that would be one thing, but if she was simply trying to keep him tethered, that would be going too far.

Anyway, I'd never wear that thing. If she wants to, she can wear it herself!

Besides, whether they'd even become a couple in the future was still uncertain. Why jump to conclusions so quickly?

Roland couldn't bring himself to marry Haruno now. Even setting aside Karena and Aunt Yukio, he seriously doubted whether he'd end up as a husband or a pet slave if he married Haruno.

Who puts a leash on their husband?

Roland chuckled bitterly to himself. If only I'd known Haruno was this terrifying, I should have chosen Yuki.when Mother suggested matchmaking. Why did I pick this she-devil Haruno?

True, as the older sister, Haruno's figure was undeniably more voluptuous and sensual than Yuki's unripe growing body, especially in certain areas. (Whispering)

But her personality paled in comparison to Yuki's!

Yuki's personality might be politely described as reserved, but less charitably, she was cold, indifferent to others, and difficult to approach.

Still, that was far better than Haruno's hidden sadist tendencies.

Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a "regret pill" in this world. He couldn't possibly confront Haruno now and say he regretted it, asking to switch to Yuki for the arranged marriage instead.

Haruno would kill him!

After toying with her body, he wanted to move on to her younger sister? What did he think the Yukino Family—the mother and her two daughters—were?

His toys?!

Tired of one, just switch to another?

Get this straight: you're the one who's our toy!

Ugh!

No, you're just my toy. No one else gets to touch you!

In any case, Roland knew changing his mind was out of the question. All he could do now was figure out how to restore Haruno's trust in him. He didn't want to be constantly monitored and suspected in the future.

---

Later, while Haruno was inspecting Yukio's room, Roland seized the opportunity to sneak into the kitchen and make breakfast.

Haruno thoroughly searched her mother's room but found no evidence of improper behavior between Roland and her mother. However, this didn't convince her of his innocence.

What innocent person would lock the door from the inside?

Throughout breakfast, Haruno maintained a frosty expression, her displeasure clearly reflected in the mood value displayed on Roland's System.

Haruno's mood was currently in the negatives: utterly terrible.

That's right, not just angry, but utterly terrible.

Haruno knew that anger would be futile. She had no proof of Roland's infidelity, no grounds to confront her mother, and no outlet for her festering resentment. This suffocating helplessness was far more nauseating than mere anger.

To put it bluntly, a bitter hatred was beginning to simmer within her.

Seeing Haruno's emotions teetering on the brink, Roland dared not continue his lovey-dovey feeding session with Yukio during breakfast.

Ugh! No lovey-dovey, Feeding? That's called feeding!

In any case, Roland knew he was in the wrong and needed to quickly rebuild their trust.

"Big sister Haruno, try this dish I made especially for you!" Roland shamelessly slid his chair closer to her and, mimicking his actions from the previous night with Aunt Yukio, picked up a piece of meat and offered it intimately to her lips.

But Haruno was clearly not going to accept his offering like her mother had the night before. She scoffed coldly, turned her head away, and left Roland with a sour look.

Eat it yourself! Don't bother me!

It was clear Haruno was genuinely furious this time.

I dare you not to be angry if you were cuckolded.

What?

You don't have a girlfriend? Even in your twenties?

Oh, never mind then.

There was no point in trying to appease Haruno when she was angry. A proud and assertive woman like her rarely lost her temper, but when she did, it meant the situation was dire.

Roland thought he could win her over with a simple act of feeding her? Did he really think she was playing house with him?

Roland clearly realized his mistake. He had underestimated the System Notification's "extremely poor mood value." He deserved to hit this wall.

If Haruno were that easy to win over, she would have been snatched up during one of her countless arranged marriages. How could he possibly have stood a chance?

To win Haruno over, the bare minimum was to show genuine seriousness. Half-hearted flattery would only disgust her more.

Of course, that was just the foundation. Roland was trying to win her over while she was angry. Simply adopting the right attitude wouldn't be enough; he would have to pay a price.

After a moment's thought, Roland concluded that he had no choice but to resort to that "disgusting" method.

This time, Roland didn't offer to feed Haruno. Instead, he forcefully wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulling her tightly against his chest.

Of course, reality wasn't a drama. Did he really think he could resolve things by forcibly hugging and kissing an angry woman?

If Roland tried that, he would only provoke Haruno's disgust.

That's why he needed to pay a certain "price."

"My dear wife~, I know I messed up, but we can't keep giving each other the cold shoulder forever, right? Everyone knows that the silent treatment is the first step towards a marriage falling apart," Roland said nervously, unsure if this approach would work. Heck, there isn't even a marriage.

After all, the price he was offering might not be what she truly wanted.

To make it effective, the price had to appeal to her specific desires. And the price Roland had chosen was...

Haruno wanted their fake relationship to become real, didn't she?

If he agreed to that, would it count as the price she desired?

As for what would happen with Karena after their fake love turned real... well, there was no way to deal with that.

But even if he refused to acknowledge it, it wouldn't matter. Could he dare let Aunt Yukio find out their matchmaking was a sham?

Aunt Yukio loved him so much; she would never forgive such a lie. He had already burned his bridges after crossing it.

"Oh?"

Haruno finally showed a positive reaction to his words. It seemed the price Roland was offering had indeed piqued her interest.

Though Haruno believed it was only a matter of time before she won Roland over completely, she didn't really need him to offer such a price.

Regardless, having Roland willingly acknowledge their relationship would save her a lot of trouble, wouldn't it?

"What did you call me just now?" Haruno asked him with genuine amusement.

In that instant, Roland noticed her mood had finally shifted from utterly displeased to playful.

Looks like my gamble paid off, Roland thought, breathing a small sigh of relief.

"Of course, I called you 'My Dear Wife'! What else would I call you?" Roland pressed his advantage, tightening his embrace around her waist.

"Tsk, fine. Just remember what you said now. Don't let me hear you call me anything else in the future," Haruno relented, seeing his sincerity.

As long as Roland behaves as her husband, she wouldn't make things difficult for her man, would she?

"Yes, My Dear Wife! So, does that mean you forgive me?" Roland asked eagerly.

"Not so fast. Keep feeding me," Haruno retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, alright, I'll keep feeding you. I promise to satisfy you completely."

"Satisfy me? Who told you to use forks?"

"Uh... then what should I use?"

"Since you're calling me 'wife,' you should show some sincerity. Use your mouth."

"Ah... is that really a good idea?"

"Hmm? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Aunt Yukio is still here..."

"Who's your wife—her or me?"

"Of course it's you~."

"Then feed me!"

"Alright."

Roland understood: Haruno was determined to put on a real display of intimacy in front of her mother.

She was asserting her claim over him, leaving him no room for refusal.

As they say, if you're going to put on a show, you might as well go all the way. Roland had already called her "wife"—if he didn't seize this opportunity to settle things once and for all, what was the point of using the term?

So, though inwardly resigned, Roland steeled himself and went through with it.

Before proceeding, he exchanged a glance with Yukio, as if seeking her approval.

Only after receiving her nod did he confidently begin to "feed" Haruno.

If I'm going to do this, I might as well enjoy it!

With that thought, Roland cupped Haruno's face and, right in front of Yukio, planted a kiss on her lips...